Can classes give older workers an edge?

Older workers come to the table with experience, maturity and dedication, and unemployment rates for those 55 and over have been lower than the overall average for most of the recession. But older workers who do wind up unemployed often struggle to recover: The average duration of unemployment for older job seekers is now 56 weeks, compared with 37 weeks for younger workers, according to an analysis of the most recent job data by Sara Rix of the AARP Public Policy Institute.

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Partially in response to this trend, many colleges and universities have begun offering classes for older workers to help them improve their resumes, learn marketable skills and land jobs. The recently launched American Association of Community Colleges’ Plus 50 Initiative offers people over 50 an array of classes at community colleges across the nation, including workforce retraining courses. The number of workforce retraining courses offered through this program more than doubled from the 2010-11 school year, with 395 total courses now offered; the number of older students enrolled jumped 75%, to 5,829, over that same period. Four-year colleges and universities are also offering courses that may be relevant for older workers.

To be sure, taking a class is no guarantee that a student will land another job. And sometimes the classes aren’t worth the tuition you’d pay for them: “Similar courses may be offered for free online,” says career coach Roy Cohen, author of “The Wall Street Professional’s Survival Guide.” Furthermore, “there is no one-size-fits-all class that everyone over 50 needs to take,” says Marci Alboher, vice president of Civic Ventures, a think tank on boomers, work and social purpose.

That said, some classes may help a large number of older workers. Some of the most important ones fall into three categories:

Boosting Your Technology Training: “Many older workers are falling to bias from hiring managers who think they don’t understand current technology,” says Josh Tolan, CEO of Spark Hire, a video-powered hiring company. Taking a technology-related course may be “a quick and efficient way to show on your resume that you’re up-to-date,” he adds. Among the fields of study he and others recommend: Social media, where students can learn how businesses are making use of platforms like Twitter and Facebook for marketing and other purposes; “emerging technology” courses, which introduce students to recent innovations like “green” tech, mobile payments and voice control; and classes in certain computer programs.

Building Your Brand: In today’s job market, this also has a tech component. A blogging course could be useful: To further set yourself up as an expert in your field, you may want to write regularly online about topics relevant to the jobs you’re searching for. And taking a course on personal branding can show you how to make yourself into a good fit for a certain job, by using online tools like LinkedIn and Facebook, as well as by strategically using events and other in-person activities.

Overhauling Your Career: Older workers in flailing industries may want to think about a career switch. Many universities offer certificate programs -- a series of classes that train students for a certain type of job -- that are typically cheaper and faster than getting a full four-year degree. Marc Dorio, an executive coach and author of “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Career Advancement,” recommends considering programs in health care, which is still growing rapidly. There are certificate programs that train students for jobs like medical and pharmacy tech, medical coding and nursing assistant (though some of those jobs can involve more physical labor than some seniors would want). “Sometimes you can do this and have a new job within a year,” Dorio says. Other certificate programs are available for a range of other professions, from florist to human-resources worker to technical draftsman; experts advise doing some research about a profession’s requirements before signing up for training.

To find courses that might be of interest to you, Alboher, of Civic ventures, recommends starting with the courses offered through the Plus 50 Initiative referenced above. She also recommends calling your alma mater’s career services or alumni office; looking into whether community organizations in your neighborhood might offer classes; checking into executive or continuing education programs at nearby colleges and universities; and looking on sites like Empowered.com and Lynda.com, both of which offer online courses.

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